SUBSCRIPTION THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015 SHAABAN 24, 1436 AH www.kuwaittimes.net Ibn Sina Policeman Africa leaders FIFA Hospital who pulled sign ‘Cape to suspends hit by gun at Texas Cairo’ free trade 2026 World blackout4 pool resigns9 bloc21 deal Cup20 bidding Kuwait targeted by Min 32º Max 48º High Tide terrorism: Ghanem 06:50 & 18:40 Low Tide Government briefs MPs on beefed-up security 00:05 & 13:15 40 PAGES NO: 16548 150 FILS By B Izzak Kuwaiti media delegation visits Kurdistan KUWAIT: Speaker of the National Assembly Marzouq Al- Ghanem said yesterday that no country in the region including Kuwait is safe from terror plots, and the coun- try is a target for terrorists. Speaking after the govern- ment briefed MPs on the securi- ty situation and raising the secu- rity alert, Ghanem said Interior Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al- Khaled Al-Sabah provided the meeting with a detailed report on protection provided to mosques, husseiniyas and other worship places. MPs had requested to hold a Marzouq Al-Ghanem debate in the Assembly about security measures in the country following suicide bombings at Shiite mosques in Saudi Arabia, but the Assembly and government agreed to hold the meeting behind closed doors at the Assembly bureau. Ghanem said Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah Continued on Page 13 Bank hours in Ramadan KUWAIT: The Kuwait Banking Association announced yesterday that the banks’ work hours dur- ing Ramadan would be from 9:30 am to 2 pm. Banks will serve clients from 10 am until 1 pm, said the ERBIL, Iraq: President of the Kurdistan region of Iraq Masoud Barzani (center) meets members of a Kuwaiti media delegation including Kuwait Times Editor-in- association, citing a relevant statement of instruc- Chief Abd Al-Rahman Al-Alyan (right) yesterday. — Photo by Hani Al-Shemmari (See Page 3) tions issued by the Central Bank of Kuwait. — KUNA Kuwait seeks to buy 24 Airbus military choppers worth €1bn Kuwait donates $300m to Iraq, Yemen KUWAIT/PARIS: France is on the verge of finalizing a regional security. The French president welcomed the contract worth about €1 billion ($1.1 billion) for the sale policy adopted by HH the Amir for dialogue with all of 24 Airbus-built military helicopters to Kuwait, a deal countries in the region, while Sheikh Sabah voiced the that highlights Paris’ growing commercial ties in the Kuwaiti government’s desire to get the French Caracal Middle East, officials said. The contract - the latest to be helicopters as part of mutual partnership in the defen- agreed between Paris and a Gulf state, comes after sive field. The Amir appreciated the French leader’s call, French President Francois Hollande was invited by Gulf which reflected existing deep relations between both Arab leaders in May to address their summit in Saudi friendly countries, wishing Hollande wellbeing and his Arabia, a rare privilege for a foreign head of state. country more development. “In the framework of the defense partnership The French army uses the Caracal helicopter to trans- between France and Kuwait, the Amir has expressed the port soldiers including its special forces. It sold six wish ... to equip his country’s air force with 24 Caracal EC725 Caracal to Tunisia at the end of 2014 for €300 mil- type heavy helicopters. The contract will be signed lion as the North African state seeks to tackle Islamist soon,” Hollande’s office said after a telephone conversa- militants on its borders. A French Defense Ministry offi- tion between the French leader and HH the Amir of cial said the Kuwait contract was worth about €1 billion Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. and was agreed during a visit by Defense Minister Jean- In the phone conversation, the leaders discussed Yves Le Drian to Kuwait on June 6. Over the past year, bilateral relations between both friendly countries in Paris has sealed more than $15 billion of military con- the context of their distinguished historical ties and tracts in the region, including with Egypt, Qatar and France’s relentless commitment to support Kuwait’s Saudi Arabia. security as well as mutual willingness to maintain Continued on Page 13 Egypt police foil attack at famed Luxor temple CAIRO: Police said they averted a “massacre” after foil- seriously wounded near the Karnak temple in Luxor, a ing a suicide bombing and gun attack yesterday on one popular site close to the famed Valley of the Kings. No of Egypt’s most popular ancient attractions, in a rare tourists were hurt in the mid-morning incident and visi- assault on the country’s vital tourism sector. Egypt has tors were kept inside Karnak’s ruins, an antiquities min- been shaken by a tide of attacks claimed by jihadists istry official said. The incident unfolded after a taxi car- since the army toppled the democratically elected gov- rying two passengers attempted to enter the parking ernment two years ago, but the incident in the south- lot and was stopped by a suspicious policeman, ern city of Luxor was the first in years targeting tourists. Tourism Minister Khaled Ramy said in a statement. This has added to fears that unrest could scare off the Police asked to search the trunk, where they found visitors who are crucial to the economy in a country two large bags that made them suspicious, a general where tourism accounts for more than a tenth of GDP. from Luxor police told AFP. When they asked to open Police said two attackers were killed and another the bags, one of the men jumped out of the car, ran away and detonated his explosive vest. In the ensuing confusion, the other passenger emerged from the car and, joined by an accomplice who had come in on foot, pulled assault rifles from the bags and started shooting. The police responded, killing one and seriously wound- ing the other. Health ministry official Nahed Mohamed told AFP two civilians and two policemen were wounded in the shootout, but not seriously. Police said the taxi driver was not a suspect. “If they had managed to enter the temple, it would have been a massacre,” said the gener- al, as 19 fully loaded magazines for the rifles were found in the bags and there were 604 tourists were in the tem- ple. “We have enhanced security measures in place at all our sites and we continue to take every possible meas- ure to ensure that no harm comes to anyone visiting LUXOR: Human remains lie on the ground cov- Egypt,” Ramy said. No group had yet claimed responsi- ered by Egyptian security forces at the scene bility for the attack. where assailants attempted to carry out a suicide Continued on Page 13 attack yesterday at the Karnak temple. — AFP LOCAL THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015 His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah meets KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah meets His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al- National Security Apparatus’ Chairman Sheikh Thamer Ali Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah Jaber Al-Sabah. — KUNA photos and his new assistant Sheikh Sabah Shamlan Abdulaziz Al-Sabah. Amir, Crown Prince receive top officials KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Al-Ghanem, HH Sheikh Nasser Al- Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. Meanwhile, Sabah and Deputy Prime Minister and Al-Salem Al-Sabah, who presented to His Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, HH the HH the Crown Prince received HH Sheikh Minister of Defense Sheikh Khaled Al-Jarrah Highness Sheikh Sabah Shamlan Abdulaziz at Bayan Palace yesterday HH the Crown Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al- Nasser Al-Mohammad, HH Sheikh Al-Jaber, Al-Sabah. Also yesterday, HH the Prime Al-Sabah on the occasion of the latter’s Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- Hamad Al-Sabah and First Deputy Prime Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Minister received Chairman of the National appointment as assistant chief of the Sabah, National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Sheikh Mohammad Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al- Security Apparatus Sheikh Thamer Ali Sabah National Security Apparatus. — KUNA Embassy pays tribute to News book on UK-Gulf region In brief LONDON: Kuwait’s ambassador to the United role in the negotiations resulting in the estab- FM to attend Kingdom Khaled Al-Duwaisan held a get- lishment of the United Arab Emirates. GCC meeting together at the embassy’s building in honor of The book considers Sir William Luce among KUWAIT: First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister the publishing of a book on the biography of the best and brightest British youth who grad- Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah is scheduled Sir William Luce, one of the most distinguished uated from the University of Cambridge and head to Riyadh today to head Kuwait’s delegation taking British special envoys overseas, especially to forged a distinguished diplomatic career in the part in the 135th meeting of Gulf Cooperation Council the Gulf region in the earlier parts of the 20th period ending with WWII and the emergence (GCC) Ministerial Council. The delegation includes director century. of national political movements in the Arab of the GCC affairs department, Ambassador Nasser Hajji Al- Lord Richard Luce, the son of the late Sir world. Muzain, Kuwait’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, William Luce, attended the get-together which Ambassador Duwaisan praised the book Ambassador Sheikh Thamer Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, and took place last night. Lord Luce has held and its historic content chronicling a sensitive acting director of First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of numerous posts in the government, among period in the history of the Gulf as it embraced Foreign Affairs’ office Ambassador Saleh Salem Al-Loghani, them State Minister for Middle East Affairs at independence in the sixties and seventies.